UPDATE: Jackson County Courthouse re-opened

Authorities determined Thursday afternoon that a white powdery substance found on objects left at the entrance of the Jackson County Courthouse wasn’t hazardous.

The substance apparently came off of a Bible and U.S. flag that were placed near the front door of the building, officials said.

“Now that we’ve cleared any environmental threat, we’ll be looking at why the articles were placed there, and what for, and who might have done so,” Jackson County Sheriff Lou Roberts said.

Roberts said deputies who serve as courthouse guards found the suspicious items early Thursday morning.

When they attempted to remove the objects, a white powder came off onto one of their uniforms, Roberts said.

“We were made known about the situation (with the Bible and the flag) but they told us you need to evacuate when they found the powder,” courthouse employee Elizabeth Lawrence said.

She and others inside the courthouse were getting ready for the day’s work when the evacuation occurred at about 8:30 a.m.

The perimeter of the courthouse was lined with yellow police tape as onlookers gathered on nearby sidewalks.

The crowd was eventually asked to stand upwind as a precaution, and five or six people who were thought to have been exposed to the powder were quarantined inside the courthouse through most of the incident, Roberts said.Jackson Street behind the courthouse was barricaded to accommodate hazardous materials team operations.

Those quarantined, including a couple of jail trustees, were treated by a hazardous materials team and showed no signs of exposure to anything dangerous, Roberts said.

Jackson Hospital was in lock-down mode for about five minutes after being notified of the suspicious material at the courthouse. Employees were immediately posted at all entrances and exits until noon.
During the brief lock-down, no one was allowed inside without identification and a statement of purpose, according to hospital spokesman Rosie Smith.

Also, she said, everyone coming to the hospital throughout the morning was asked to use the front entrance.
At about 1 p.m., the courthouse was deemed secure and it was reopened to the public.

Courthouse employees were allowed to go home to shower and changes clothes if they desired to do so, Jackson County Health Department Director William Long said.

He said officials haven’t determined exactly what the powder is, but on-site tests did determine that it was not a major health threat.

Likewise, law enforcement has yet to determine the motive behind the placement of the Bible and the flag.

The objects were transported to the Department of Health lab in Pensacola for further testing, Long said.

Once that is done, law enforcement will investigate the objects further, said Roberts.

The amount of the powder, he said, wasn’t excessive.

“At this point, for all we know he or she could have just eaten a powdered donut before they put the things there,” said Roberts said.

He placed the time of the incident at some time prior to midnight Tuesday.

A portion of video surveillance footage at the courthouse might help investigators identify a suspect, Roberts said.

He wasn’t sure whether the Bible was open to a certain page or passage. If the suspect was trying to make a statement, the method of choice was poor, Roberts said.

“There’s a time and place for that and the court system is not the place to do that type of thing,” Roberts said.

Roberts wasn’t immediately sure of the charges the suspect could face, but said it would be something similar to disruption of a school function.

“If anyone saw anything or knows anything about what happened should just call CrimeStoppers. It’s confidential and easy to do,” Roberts said.

Those interested in making that call may phone CrimeStoppers at 526-5000.

Since the Jackson County Courthouse was evacuated in the early morning hours Thursday, many visitors to the court house were unable to attend scheduled hearings.

Chief Deputy to the Jackson County Clerk of Courts Lynn Gosnell said Thursday afternoon that dependency court hearings had resumed, but child support hearings would be rescheduled to a different day.

Gosnell said those involved in child support hearings should be notified of a new date and time. Anyone who missed a meeting or hearing at the courthouse Thursday who does not hear from court staff should call the clerk of courts office at 482-9552.

Police tape was erected around the Jackson County Courthouse Thursday morning following the discovery of suspicious items earlier that day. -Kate McCardell/Floridan